Patisserie and desserts and petits fours - favourite stand displays

 Favourites around the stands.

Photos by Angela Lansbury

Useful Websites

www.fhaHoReCa.com

The story of IRCA

https://www.dobla.com/en-vn/about-dobla/history

Please share links to your favourite posts.

Anna Pavlova Sights To See Worldwide: including London, England, and Australia

Problem
Who was she?
What can I see?
Where is it and is it worth a special trip?

Answers
She was a Russian-born ballerina who later lived in London, England, started her own ballet company and toured the world. When she visited Australia and New Zealand a white meringue was named after her, a pavlova.

On reading her life story for he umptenth time it struck me that she is a prime candidate for a motivational speech.

London,
1 Ivy house in Golders Green, NW London, England, a house which she bought and where she lived to the end of her life.

2 Pavlova Statue above Victoria theatre, Victoria Street, SWI. (Not the Apollo theatre near Victoria station, London.)

Confusingly, London has two Victoria theatres.

 For the theatre across from Victoria station in Westminster, see Apollo Victoria Theatre. For other uses, see Apollo Theatre (disambiguation).

Anna Pavlova statue is not here - this is the Apollo Theatre near Victoria station

The theatre showing David Mamet's A Life in the Theatre in 2005
Address	Shaftesbury Avenue London, W1 United Kingdom
Coordinates	51.511472°N 0.133417°WCoordinates: 51.511472°N 0.133417°W
Public transit	Piccadilly Circus
Owner	Nimax Theatres
Designation	Grade II
Type	West End theatre
Capacity	658[1]
Production	Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
Construction
Opened	21 February 1901; 116 years ago
Architect	Lewin Sharp
Website
nimaxtheatres.com/apollo-theatre/

The Apollo Theatre is a Grade II listed West End theatre, on Shaftesbury Avenue in the City of Westminster, in central London.^[2] Designed by the architect Lewin Sharp for owner Henry Lowenfeld,^[3][4] it became the fourth theatre constructed on the street when it opened on 21 February 1901^[4] 

I have photographed both theatres several times.































3 Urn in Golders Green Crematorium, downhill from the house, beyond Golders Green station.

Learning Russian

If you speak English and you are trying to learn Russian, keep looking at the letters of her name on the picture of the urn (in Wikipedia) and saying her name to yourself.

Her name is also on the commemorative coin from Russia, by her toe.

Pavlova
Both Australia and New Zealand claim to have the
I went to try to trace the sotry of Pavlova in Australia. The hotel had a plaque. The manager at the time I visited did not know much about it but produced a history of the hotel and later sent me some information. I was disappointed not to see a statue of her in the hotel. They didn't even have pavlova on the menu the day I visited.

Worldwide, every time I eat a white meringue, or see meringue or the English dessert Eton Mess in a restaurant, or supermarket, I think of the Russian ballerina, Pavlova.

Websites
Find a Grave gives a quick compact summary of her life.
Wikipedia gives much more detail.
mapstreetview.com

Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer. I have several more posts on sights in London, and learning Russian. Please share links to your favourite posts.

French Food, Restaurants and Celebrations For Bastille Day, July 14th French National Day - Vive La France!

The red, white and blue of the French flag light up Wembley Arch in London in Sympathy with the French.

Problem
How should I celebrate Bastille Day and where?

Answers
First - what's it all about? The storming of the Bastille, a prison in Paris, capital of France. In 1789. Year of the Revolution. Taxes were high, food prices were high, and King Louis XVI was unpopular, and so was his wife, Marie Antoinette, who was supposed to have said, 'Let them eat cake'.

When I was researching my book of quotations, entitled Who Said What When, I discovered that Let them Eat cake was supposedly said by another unpopular character more than a hundred years earlier. No record of a time and place for Marie Antoinette saying any such thing in her lifetime. The same applies to a lot of famous quotations.

How do I remember which of the many Louis kings was married to Marie Antoinette? Louis 16, and for him and his wife and the rest of France he was not sweet sixteen. In fact on Bastille Day things went very sour for him. He is supposed to have asked one of his ministers, "Is this a revolt?" And he got the riposte, to use a French word, "No, it is a revolution!"

Bastille Day is celebrated in France, Belgium, Canada. If you want to practise your French, it is also spoken in Switzerland and Saint Martin island  in the Caribbean. Many cities have French quarters or French associations.

Romania's capital, Bucharest, has a landmark copy of the Arc de Triomphe and a statue of Charles de Gaulle. The Romanian word for thank you is m e r s i.

Hotels and restaurants and French areas worldwide have had red, white and blue of the French flag, French music, and French food.

In France expect to see military parades and fireworks and lights on public buildings. This year, 2017, American President Trump enjoyed a Michelin meal in the restaurant in the Eiffel Tower. The menu featured the Eiffel Tower and the Statue of Liberty. You could make your own menu if eating at home.

What could you do with red, white and blue? White meringue, with red raspberries and blueberries.

French Wines
Red wines from Bordeaux and white wines and sparkling Champagne.

French Water
Perhaps Perrier water. I recently discovered that Perrier water comes in many other flavours, such as Lemon.

In the UK you can buy a croissant cooked on the premises daily at my local branch of Tesco. Reminders of French and French language are all around in England. For example, you might enjoy:

au gratin, (with cheese)
bain-marie, (double boiler)
ballet,
banquet,
banquette, (long seat usually along wall)
biscuit,
bouquet,
bouquet garni,
buffet,
café,
canapé,
casserole
consommé, soup
chocolate eclair,
coq au vin, chicken with win
c r è p e, (thin pancake)
croissant, crescent shape flaky pastry
croquette, fried cylinder of mashed potatoes or other food in a casing
croque Madame
croque Monsieur,
croutons, diced fried bread, often in soup
duck a l'orange
entente cordiale
entrecôte,
flambé,
French onion soup,
gourmand,
Gourmet,
hors d'oeuvres, starter, literally outside(s) (dishes) of the work(s)
marrons glacé,
menu,
Pains perdue, (bread lost or egg lost sunk in the bread)
pâté
patisserie,
petits pots de chocolat, (small pots of chocolate)
pommes Anna, (sliced potatoes, layered usually with a cheese and cream sauce and onions)
soufflé
terrine
valise,
vinaigrette
vol au vent
and RSVP!

I have been keeping a list of French words used in English and so have other members of my family.

French Music
At some point you might play The Marseillaise. The French songs which come to my mind are the one I learned at school as a child in England, Sur le Pont d'Avignon. Later I loved to hear Edith Piaf sing Je Ne Regrette Rien. You might also like a song associated with food or drink, such as The Night they invented Champagne! Or I love Paris in the Springtime.

You could also celebrate by seeing a show called An American in Paris. It is being shown in London. There has to be a joke in there somewhere. I am looking for it.

Stories
In London the Borough Market area has had French bands. If your budget does not stretch to Michelin restaurants, you could celebrate French food in Cafe Rouge which has branches all over Britain.

One of my favourite French cheeses, Gaperon d'Auvergne. French cheeses are available in London at a grocers' with a chilled cheese room and a café , La Fromageri, which is near Baker Street station and Madame Tussauds. (Madame Tussaud was also French -  and started her career taking waxworks of the victims of the guillotine).

Bastille Restaurants
Where do you find Bastille Restaurants? Place de la Bastille is in Paris.
https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/RestaurantsNear-g187147-d188456-Place_de_la_Bastille-Paris_Ile_de_France.html
Washington DC has a Bastille Restaurant.
One restaurant is holding Bastille Day event menu on Friday July 14th and Saturday 15th. Another is holding a Bastille Day celebration week until Sunday July 16th.https://www.tripsavvy.com/bastille-day-events-1040032

But you also find restaurants called Bastille in Belfast, Northern Ireland, and in San Jose, Costa Rica.
http://www.labastillerestaurant.com (Belfast, N Ireland)
https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaurant_Review-g309293-d2479270-Reviews-Restaurant_La_Bastille-San_Jose_San_Jose_Metro_Province_of_San_Jose.html (San Jose, Costa Rica).

Tips
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bastille_Day
www.duolingo - to learn French free on line
www.caferouge.com (French restaurants all over England, Scotland and Wales)
https://www.lafromagerie.co.uk (French food, cafe and cheese shop)
wwww.us.france.fr (official tourist board website)
https://flights.ryanair.com/en-gb/flights-to-paris
https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attractions-g187147-Activities-Paris_Ile_de_France.html

Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.

Michelin Meal at The Harrow at Little Bedwyn

We drove from London on the M4 which goes to Wales to the Harrow at Little Bedwyn, a restaurant that is run by the Jones family, Sue and Roger, the chef. Jones is a Welsh name.

The road took us through Hungerford, passing The Bear Hotel where we stayed on a previous visit to The Harrow At Little Bedwyn. When we saw the Cobbs farm shop we knew we should take the next turning left.

Driving through fields, along narrow lanes, just wide enough for one or two careful cars, we were going further away from the stresses of city life, into the calm and quiet of the countryside.

Finally, amongst some old houses, there's the building containing our quarry, the restaurant.

We had booked a meal with matching wines. I took a trip through the building to the back, posing windowsills and shelves displaying with Riedel carafes in fancy curved shapes on sale, and the Jones own label bottles, new this year.

The Ladies seemed even better than on my last visit. Pink and white, with spirals of pink flannels to dry your hands.

The meal started with a mixture of olives, fresh white garlic cloves and gherkins. The pink salmon contrasting with green was a delight for the eye as well as fun flavours. Tastes that tickle your tongue.

I loved the salmon which looked raw but was melt in the mouth soft, like everything else.

The most memorable dish was the surprise of the boiled egg with soldier, which turned out to be not savoury but sweet with mango at the base. We discussed two kinds of meringue, set solid, or creamy like the one here.

Our other topic of conversation was a joke about selling up so we could move nearer and eat here every day.

We indulged in an upgrade of £15 so one person could try different wines as a contrast. We also added one double espresso coffee to keep the driver awake. I was quite happy to be smiling and slightly sleepy.

Get on their mailing list and you will get to hear of lower price and high price meals, plus wines for sale.

Their website suggests accommodation if you are coming from afar. More information about the area from posts I wrote in previous visits. Read about Reading which we saw on the way home.

Sue Jones with the new wine.

The Harrow at Little Bedwyn
Little Bedwyn
Near Marlborough
Wiltshire
SN8 3JP
Tel: 01672 870871
www.theharrowatlittlebedwyn.com

Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.

One of Britain's Great Desserts, Eton Mess at Swanwick Writers' Summer School

Eton Mess is a desert made of white meringue, red summer fruit and double whipped cream. The fruit can be raspberries or strawberries. We had a huge platter of it but it was so more-ish that several people who had said they had had enough still had some more.

Eton Mess. Not much left over. Photo by Angela Lansbury

Angela Lansbury, travel writer and editor, author and speaker.

Bailey & Sage For Fun Food in the Kings Road, London

We went to Bayley and Sage to buy cheese. London has a good selection of cheese shops. When we are nearer Baker Street station we regularly visit La Fromagerie. Near Piccadilly you have Paxton and Whitfield. Another cheese shop is near The Shard. Now we've found another great place, Bayley and Sage. First, a huge selection of cheeses.

Cheeses galore at Bailey and Sage.

The occasional gift for yourself or another - such as the apron with chickens and eggs, at about £20. That's a lot for an apron. I want it. I'll have to go back and get it.

Then you can have a mini quiche heated up in the microwave to take away. £2.75. We had a choice of three kinds. We chose salmon and asparagus.

When you are tired of green beans, try yellow beans.

Plus vegetables. Yellow beans to make a change from green beans. A huge melon.

You can get a double espresso to take away for £1.95. Nowhere to sit down. You could carry it back to your car.

As we were leaving I saw the giant meringues in the window. Various colours. All sugar, of course. How about something with nuts?

Little coloured macaroons. How much? We asked an assistant. £12.50?

Nice for a present. A bit expensive for our tea. Do you have anything similar, but cheaper? Then we spotted some giant plain coloured almond macaroons at £4.50.

Yummy. Then we inspected the packaging and discovered that the maker was Sally Clarke, whose restaurant we have been to for birthdays, very expensive but a delicious treat. We never tried out the patisserie to take away nearby. Now we have.

Bailey and Sage have a second branch opened in Fulham this week, June 2016.

Bailey and Sage
Parsons Green
34 New Kings Road
Parsons Green
London SW6 4ST
tel: 020 7736 2826

Sally Clarke
www.sallyclarke.co.uk

Rainbow Cake in Singapore, Rainbow Cocktails in London, or make your own cake and juices

Rainbow cake, Singapore.
More details of restaurant and recipe later. It's in the HillV2 complex ground floor.

This is a great treat for a holiday, birthday or special occasion. Also a centrepiece for a party.

I forgot the name of the restaurant where I saw this cake. Fortunately, as usual I had taken the photo of the food with a copy of the menu (or name card) as a reminder. Dean and Deluca, in HillV2, 4 Hillview Rise, Singapore.

Here's a guide to rainbow cakes all over Singapore, with the warning that some places sell out early in the day. (Don't they have a chef on site who makes another when the cake is three quarters sold out? Don't they have a second cake in the freezer which can be brought out?)

http://www.ladyironchef.com/2014/01/rainbow-cake-cafe-singapore/

Want to make it yourself?
http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/3028705/rainbow-cake

I am keen on natural colours and different flavours. Why would anybody recommend food colouring? The BBC's trouble-shooting or FAQ site warns cooks that natural colours might fade during cooking. But too much food colouring can give an unpleasant flavour. Back to natural ingredients. In summer with fresh fruits abundant and cheap, a good time to make juices and flavoured cakes.

English Summer Pudding - red fruit
In England in summer many restaurants will be offering summer pudding, encased in a simple white bread outside, contrasting with the most, succulent strongly flavoured centre filling of red summer fruits such as red currants, raspberries, strawberries and blackcurrants. You could make a two or three decker summer pudding with two or three contrasting colours, red fruits, green kiwi, and another.

Australian and New Zealand Pavlova - Rainbow effect
Australia and New Zealand have as their national dish the Pavlova, a meringue with a high bowl ending and mixed fruits in the centre. At home or for a party you could create a rainbow effect in the middle simply with contrasting colours of fruits, cut into circles or semicircles, laid in lines. If you want a hotel or catering company to do a summer dessert for a party or wedding, you could ask them to create a rainbow effect Pavlova.

Another version would have concentric circles, perhaps with strawberries around the outside of the meringue. At home, or for a charity event, even a small child could create the pattern, if an adult washed and cut the fruit, and ensured the child washed their hands!

Rainbow Cake
Singapore's rainbow cake is dense, not light like a Victoria sponge, because you want the layers to hold their shape.
Good. I've always been disappointed by sponge cakes which disappear in the mouth like Candy Floss (one of the great culinary disappointments of my childhood. I must admit to liking solid foods such as suet pudding).
http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/how-make-our-rainbow-cake-frequently-asked-questions

Contrasting Colour Cocktails
In London you can get rainbow cocktails at a Chinese restaurant in Harrow. The price of the cocktail was as much as or more than our main dish, but the highlight of the meal.

I first saw these made at a French wedding (our au pair girl Caroline nee Jouy, married name Mention. I've hunted for her all over the net). The colours settle due to the different density but you simply have to pour them in the correct order.

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Make-Rainbow-Shots/

One recipe suggests 1/4 oz of each of
Creme de Cacao,
Creme de Violette,
Yellow Chartreuse,
Maraschino,
Benedictine,
Green Chartreuse and finally
Brandy.

Seven ingredients. If you have a well-stocked cabinet you probably have two or three already. If you don't have all the ingredients, you could make yourself a Christmas list and ask each member of the family to buy you one of the ingredients (or all buy a bottle for each other).

A simple sandwich drink of three contrasting colours could be equally amusing. (Nobody actually wants to drink all these different flavours. In my experience it's just a muddle and too much alcohol. You just want to see it.)

There's some simple scientific way of finding out which order to use the drinks you already have by looking up the number. Anybody in your family with a scientific or methodical mind could do it.
An alternative version

Rainbow Juices in Contrasting Colours
You don't like alcohol? You are driving? You want non-alcoholic drinks for health freaks or a children's party, or drivers early in the day?

You also find a mixed fruit juice will separate out into contrasting colours. This happened to my juices at The Tanglin club Tavern restaurant in Singapore.

Or just make a selection of teeny tumblers or throwaway plastic cups with juices of three different colours different colours. I saw this done at the Grove Hotel north of Watford for a Jaguar car test drive organised by Spire. Orange from oranges and carrots. Green from kiwi fruit. Red from watermelon or mixed red fruits.

Can't be bothered to make your own juices? Want a detox? Health food shops and internet suppliers can provide bottled juices. Here's just one of several I found on the net, from the USA.
http://www.rainbowjuices.com

If you are in Singapore, one of the delights is that most shopping malls in buildings with multi-storey shops have a food court in the basement or on the top storey, or both, with at least one juice bar serving juices.

Kiosks serving juices is also becoming a trend in shopping malls in London, England. You will find them in suburbs such as Harrow and Watford, as well as the big, famous malls. If you are planning a shopping trip, most shopping malls have websites so you can check the names of the restaurants and juice bars. Then check the outlet websites for their food, drinks and prices.

Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author, speaker.